Alloys of rare earth metals and other metals are useful in a variety of applications. For example, neodymium and iron alloys are used as industrial magnets. Lanthanum and nickel alloys are useful as hydrogen absorbing materials.
The alloys can be made in a variety of ways. One of these methods is a metallothermic process. An example of this process is a calciothermic process in which a rare earth metal fluoride is reduced with calcium metal. Alternatively, a rare earth metal oxide is reduced with calcium hydride or calcium metal to yield the rare earth metal and calcium oxide.
In another method, the metals are simply melted together, for example in a vacuum induction furnace. This method requires a high amount of energy to produce the melt temperatures.
These processes are labor and energy intensive. Therefore there remains the need for new processes for making rare earth and other metal alloys.